Can shopping centres be safe from a firearms or terrorist attack?

The events in Nairobi in September 2013 rocked the world. Responsibility for the firearms attack was claimed by the Islamist group al-Shabaab. There were 67 deaths and over 175 people wounded. Pandemonium ensued at the time and the siege lasted three days. When the siege was finally over the centre was devastated structurally.

So, could such an event ever happen in the UK? UK Counter-terrorism police NaCTSO (The National Counter Terrorism Security Office) have offered specific advice to shopping centres, as too have the BCSC (British Council of Shopping Centres) as fears escalate over the growth of Islamic State. The Daily Mail also reported that SAS troops had been deployed in high profile shopping centres in the UK.

What can be done to mitigate the risk? Shop Alert’s all-new IP-based ‘Alert 2020’ system brings a whole new range of apps direct to the fingertips of both shopping centre security personnel and tenants, including, evacuate, bomb warning and firearms and weapons attack, the newest of which is the firearms app. It gives swift and accurate evacuation messages and then provides a heat map of activity in the centre by utilising motion detectors within the shops. Finally, it provides streaming video and VOIP voice-communication directly from security/police to individual shop units.

Contact us to arrange a free onsite demonstration of the new alert 2020.